I cried for hours, weeks, or maybe months.
You provided unnoticed silent treatments almost daily, had to endure inappropriate behavior almost hourly, and had to deal with living this kind of life emotionally — a life no one wants or deserves to live.
The dark moments in a toxic relationship never outweigh the few good moments.
RELATED: The silent treatment isn’t nice, it’s emotional abuse
After months of planning, daydreaming, and suffering bouts of agonizing anxiety about the future, I made the brave decision to quit.
I left that toxic relationship, instead of trying to fix it for the millionth time. You left, because you had had enough, and finally, you were brave enough to leave.
No one who has not experienced this can understand the pain and suffering of breaking up with someone toxic. It is not an easy decision, and it cannot be made lightly.
People can say “leave” all they want, but it’s not that simple when you’re in it.
You knew everyone was waiting for you to leave that relationship. You felt exhausted from having to answer endless questions. “Why haven’t you done it yet?” “Can you get over it already?”
You know the damage to your well-being and confidence. You can feel the emotional pain of being hurt and abused mentally – God forbid physically. And you also know the fear that came with your decision.
Only you know your story. nobody else.
Every time you tried to leave that toxic relationship in the past, they would give you reasons to stay.
They got upset or played the victim. This person may have set you on fire or pretended to have an illness, just to make you feel guilty and force you to stay. They did everything they could to beg, persuade, and bribe you to stay.
Related: 8 Types Of Toxic Relationships To Cut Out Of Your Life Now
Maybe you have given up sometimes. You probably said to yourself “One more chance” for the millionth time before they mess up again.
Nothing had changed, and deep down, you knew it wouldn’t. But at the time, you weren’t able to force yourself to leave, so, instead, you chose to continue the cycle—until you were brave enough to break it.
After you made your decision, you realized that it would not be easy to move forward.
You wanted to complain to your friends about that monster you were stuck with, but they would just say, “I told you so.” You may be afraid they don’t want to hear it and feel they won’t understand. So, you’re stuck dealing with yourself.
It is difficult to break this destructive cycle. You knew you were better off without her, so you made that decision bravely and trusted your gut.
Remember: You have survived a terrible situation. You lived to see another day. You saw your value and acted on it. So, you have every right to be proud of yourself and celebrate this achievement.
Over time, you will begin to see more positive ways forward. You will get the courage to delete them from your social media and block their numbers. You’ll finally be able to go outside without fear of bumping into them.
Most importantly, you will reach the point where you can fully move forward with your life and grow from the trauma you have experienced.
In all the moments when you feel defeated or alone in your grief journey, remember that thousands of other people have been through this too. They know what you’re going through and can tell you that it gets better.
You can feel like a bad person all you want, but you were taking care of yourself when no one else was.
At the end of the day, you’ve made a brave decision and you need to stop doubting yourself – celebrate yourself instead. You did it!
Related: 5 Painful Signs Your Toxic Relationship Gave You PTSD
